Press for molding cement or plastic blocks.



No. 811,423. PATENTBD JAN. 3C, .1906. CA. MBYERS. PRESSPCR MCLDINC CEMENT CR PLASTIC BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.11, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C. A. MEYERS. PRESSTOlI MOLDING CEMENT 0R PLASTIC BLOCKS.

APPLICATIN FILED AUG.11,1905.

PATBNTBD JAN. so, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEE'I' 2,

ITED STATES PATENT Il FPMP.

CHARLES ARTHUR MEYERS, OF LEIPSIC, OHIO.

PRESS FOR WlOLIDlNC-4 CEMENT OR PLASTIC BLOCKS.

To all whom it 1v1/nay concern:

Be it known that 1', CHARLES ARTHUR `MEYERs, a citizen of the United States, resid-V the following to be a full, clear,` and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked4 thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to presses for forming blocks of concrete or plastic material; and it has for its object to construct such a press having toggle-levers applied so as to exert a downward pressure on the upper laten from the' upper part of the press ownwardly above the mold containing the cement or plastic block combined with cams for actuating said toggle-levers.` u v 1t has, further, for its object to combine with the upper platen a yielding su port .for f the mold, sothat there will be at t e beginning a gradual compression of the plastic material within the mold.

-It has, further, for itsobject to provide the press with means for lifting the cement block out of the mold after it has been formed.

1t has, further, for its object to provide means for tilting and turning to one side the cement block after it has been `molded and lifted from the mold.

It has, further, for its object to provide a frame for the press strong and compact in its structure and com osed of fewparts. i To the accornp ishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter ap pear the invention consists in features of construction and in combination of parts, hereinafterparticularly described and then sought to be clearly defined by the claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which-,-

Figure 1 is aside elevation of the ress; Fig. 2, an end elevation; Fig. 3, a detai lan showing the guides for the lifting rackar; Fig. 4, an elevation showing the molded block lifted and in positionV to be tilted; Fie'.v 5, an end view ofthe tilting shelf-plate and Fig. 6

` a detail of the eccentric andpitmen which connect it to the toggle-lever.' I

Thelower portion ofthe frame of the press Speciication of Letters Patent.l Application iled August-l1. 1905. Serial No. 273,816.

wil one set of rails and the inner ends ofthe other .and below said plate or frame.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.`

consists of the longitudinal base-bars 1, ref# i erably formed of angle-iron, the vertica en'd: bars Zfand the intermediate vertical bars-.3, i

the end andintermediate bars being provided at their lower ends with flanges by which. they may be bolted to the longitudinal base.- bars, the vertical bars being spaced apart and braced by any desired number of cross-bars f- 4 and 5, which will be formed with flanged ends, by which they may be bolted to the ver` tical or upright bars. This frame supports at each end tracks or rails 6, which are bolted 1 i to the upright bars 2 and 3, and they areso i -i disposed in relation to each other that there be left a space between the inner ends of setofrrails, so thatintermediate rails designed to support the moldl may fit in said space so as to have a vertical movement or 'adjustment therein.

From the central portion of the baseframeof `the press rise vertical rods 7, which are formed with threads 8 at their lower ends andwith threads 9 at their upper ends. The j lower ends of these rods ypass through the flanges of the longitudinal bars 1 and are secured theretoby nuts 10, and the rods at their upper ends are connected together and i braced by a frame or plate 11, throughwhichv lthe rods pass, the plate or frame and rods be-- ing.v held together by means of nuts 12, ap-

plied tothe threaded ends of the rods above are provided with sleeves 13, adapted to slide thereon and which carry the rails 1 4, which are The rods 7 coiled around the rods 7 and bear at their lower ends on the lower platen 16, lthrough which the rods 7 pass and which is held at the position desired by means of nuts 17, ap-` plied tothe threaded portions of the rods 7. The rails 14 arethusyieldingly or,elasticallyv l Y supported. lCollars 1,8, applied to the rods 7 andlheld thereto by set-screws 19, limit the, yu ward movement of the tracks 14, so that Awe w en the tracks are in their normal position they will ,beA in aljnement with the tracks or y rails 6.. The tension 'of the springsl and the amount of verticalplay to be allowed to the rails 14 during the operation of pressing. ;:il

the cement vblock will be revulated and con- .l ,i

trolledby the nuts 17, whiff-:h hold the lower.l

platen 16 to the rods 7. The upper platen 20 slides upon the rods 7,

and is actuated from the upper portion of the press-frame above themold by means now to be described.

. The numeral 21 designates links, which are pivotally connected at their lower ends to ears 22, formed on the platen 20, there being two of these links at the opposite ends of the platen. The up er endslof these linksv are connected by bo ts 23 to the lower ends of links 24, which are arranged .in pairs and pivf otally connected -at their upper ends by bolts 25 to 'lugs 26, which depend from the upper plate 'and brace-frame-11l Thev bolts 23 .also

. connect the ends of pitmen 27 to the links 21 IIS and-24. These pitmen 27 have forked ends- 28, which span the jointed ends ofthe links 21 and 24 and cause the ower to be ap lied at both sides of the joint etween the lin s 21,

and.24, and thus cause the pull of the pitmen Qn .the links to .be applied evenly at both sides of the joint,'thus preventingcramping of the parts. and rendering them more satisfactory in operationj The inner ends of the V pitmen 27 are connected by pins or bolts 29 to the eccentric wheels 30, which are applied at opposite sides of the frame formed b the uprig t rods 7. These eccentric whees 3G are secured by set-screws 31 or otherwise to a` transverse shaft 32, journaled lin the lower endsof yokes 33, hanging from the top plate or frame 11 and secured thereto by bolts 34.

The inner ends of the pitmen 27 beingsecured to the eccentric wheels at opposite sides of `the shaft 32, said shaft will prevent the inner ends of the pitmen from being carried around in a complete revolution, and consequently will to that extent limit the downward move. Vment of the ueper platen.

Thenumera s 35 designate collars mounted on the' rods 7 below the upper platen 20 andV held at 'the adjustment desired by means of set-screws 36, which: collars will limit the 4downward movement of the platen20 when the latter comesincontact therewith inlower-l ing the platen during the operation of pressingrthe cement block.

he mold for the cement block is. desigf nated by the numeral 37, and it is provided at its sideswith wheels 38, which rest upon therails 14, and the numeral 39vdesignates the pressing-plate, which is laced on topof the cement in-the mold an receives the direct pressure of' the upper platen, so as to transmit it to the cement in the mold. The mold containin the cement lis run onto 'the track 14 beneat the platen'20 and the toggle-levers actuatedso as toforce down the platen onto the gpresser-plate lying on top of vthe v cement, so as to compress the latter.. The springsff15 allow the track, as well as the mold supported on it, to yield when the pres# sure-ofthe platen'is viirst applied, so that the press/ure is gradual, and when the bottomof the/'mold comes in contact vwith the vlower ypl/aten 16 thedownward movement is checked Athat a pulley driven by a power-belt might be pivotediin er of thefrac lo enin s W en the rack-bar y1s raised after enters the o enings in the metal late and in '44. It is preferred to have a vcog-wheel 4tlapplied at each end `of the shaft 32 and a cogwheel 42 at each end of the shaft 43,v and also to havefa hand-lever 44 and a sprocket-chain 41 at each-I side of the machine, sol that the press may be operated from either side. While prefer this arrangement, yet it is obvious substituted without departing from other features of the invention. After the block has been completed and the pressure of the platen relieved, the mold is moved from the track 14 onto the end track or rails 6 at one end of the machine or press, so that the 'completed block may be removed from the mold. .For the purpose of removing the block from the. mold I ,provide the following 'instrumentali-y ties, which will be located at both ends of thepress, and as the, construction willfbe the same at each end a description of the parts at one end will be suflicient'. The numeral 4 5 designates a vertically-movable rack-bar, which is provided at its upper end with a pivoted fin er 46, preferably in the form of a fork ang provided with a shoulder 47, said finger being so formed that it will have a projection 48 to bear against one side of the rack-bar and form a stop tohold, the finger vertically and its shoulder horizontally when in their normal position, the iinger being otherwise free to swing to the opposite side of lthe rack-bar in tilting and dischargin the`l molded block from its mold. Inside o the mold at one side is placed an L-shaped metal plate 4 9, fitting against one sideof the mold and having its bottom portion lying under the bottom board of the mold. The bottom portion of this'plate is formed withA an opening or openings 49, and the bottom board 1s formedwith correspondingI epenings 50. 'llhe artenters t ese r oc t e mo d has been moved onto thev end rails g far enough to bring the mold against the upper portions of the end'uprights of the'press.A The .rack-barv is raisedby meansof a toothed segment 51,'secured to a shaft 52,journaled in aj suitable boxing 53 on" the base of the.` frame, and a hand-lever 54 for operating the same. As the bar is thus raised the finger the bottom card of the mold,wit the shoul of said board, and-'as the bar is elevatedthe cement block and 'core and pallet-boards-in the mold areliftedto the top of the mold. When such parts` are above the top of theizov 1,2"5' lder'of the bearing against the bottom the capacity of the board... In practice theparts are pro block has been discharge lslides l down on incid, the pivoted linger turns and the block is tilted and turned over onto a pallet-board 55, placed at one side of the press to receive it, the L-shaped plate serving as a shelf for the molded block. This L-shaped plate or shelf-has recesses 56 cut in its side edges at the top, so that the pallet-board lying next to it between the board and block may be grasped for the purpose ot sliding the block from ofi" the shelf and its supporting palletortioned vso that the top ofthe mold wil be about thirty inches from the base-bars of the ress and the pallet-board toreceive the lockafter it is turned out of the mold will be about the, saine height, and thus the block can be conveniently mani ulated. After the from the mold and therack-bar lowered to its' normal position and the interior parts of the mold assembled 'the mold is again ready to be moved into osition o n the central track to have anot ier block molded. In.` the meanwhile another mold may have been in position to have a block mo ded and movedonto the other end track to have the block moved from the mold by the duplicate instrumentalities at that end. of the press. Under this construction press is doubled.

The parts comprising the frame ofthe ress are preferably of wrought iron or stee and are strong and durable and easily assembled as well as easily taken apart for shipment or for setting up in another place. For the purpose of guiding the rack-bars they have grooves 57 formed in opposite faces, into which extend tongues 58, projecting froni plates 59, which are adjustably held to the Spacing-bars Llfby bolts 60, passing through the plates and through slots 61 formed in said spacing-bars.

By having the top platen operated by the toggle-levers from above the parts are out of the way vand free from dirt and the rod, and in applying the pressure the expenditure of less power is necessary because the top platen the guiding-rods, and the levers have merely to exert a downward pressure, as they do not have to expend part of their power in lifting any part of either platen in applying the pressure.

le the preferred construction and arparts have been de-'v yet it is to be unranvement of the several scri ed With particularity,

derstood that the invention is not confined to V-such details except where particularly so pivctaily connected to speciied. Having described my lnvention and set forth its nierits, what I claim is l. lIn a press, upright rods, a platen slid- `able thereon, toggle-levers composed otliriks arranged in pairs at opposite ends of thepiaten and pivotally sus en ded from a spppoi't at the upper part o said rods and li n the platen ,and having mounted on said rods,

their u )per ends lying betweenthe 'pairs of suspenc ed links and jointed thereto, and pit- Y nien connected tosaid links at their junction with each other tor operating the same, substantially as described. V

2. In a press, upright, rods, a platen slidable thereon,`toggle -levers pivotallyconnected at one end to the platen and at the other end to a support at the upper end of said. rods, pitmen formed with a fork at one end and spanning. the meeting ends of the toggle-levers and pivotally connected thereto, and ecceiitrics intermediate of and to which the inner ends of said pitinen are'connected for actuating the toggle-levers, substantially as described. 3. In. a press, a mold-supporting track, rods risinflr above the track, a platen sliding on the rods above the track, toggle-levers located at opposite sides oil-the lplaten and connected with the platen and with a support, pitinen connected with the toggle-levers, and eccentrics intermediate of and with which the inner ends of the pitinen are connected for operating the pitinen,substantially as described.

4. In a press, upright rods, a platen, levers for operating the platen, a mold-supporting track beneath the plat-en, sleeves slidable on the rods and having the track connected thereto, springs beneath said sleeves and eans supporting said springs, substantially as described.

5. In a press, a platen, supported mold-sustaining track beneath platen, substantially as described.

6. In a press, upright rods, sleeves mounted on said rods, a moldsustaining track supported from said sleevfes, springs forming a cushion for said sleeves; and means limiting the movement of the sleeves, substantially as described.

7. In a ress, u

and a yieldingly- `t ie right rods, a toggle-leveractuated p aten slidable on the rods, a nioldsupporting track below said platen, sleeves slidable on the rods and having said track connected thereto, springs forming a cushion for said sleeve7 and a fixed platen below said track, substantially as described.

i 8. In a. press, the base-frame sup orting end tracks, upright rods, sleeves s idabl a mold-suporting trac connected'tosaid sleeves and located between the end tracks, springs sustaining said sleeves and intermediate track, a platen slidably mounted on the rods above said track, and levers for moving said platen, substantially as described. l

9. In a press, a support for a mold, a lifting-bar for lifting the molded block out of the mold, and a tilting device Connected to said bar for turning over the block as it leaves the mold, substantially as described.

10. In a ress, a support for a mold, a liftingfbar torlifting the molded vblock out of the IOO IIO

f vided Wit mold, and a .linger pivoted 'to the bar and adapted to e age with apart of the mold in turning over tne' block as 1t leavesthe mold, substantially asdeseribed. v il, In apress, a support for a mold, 'a lift-4 ing-bar' for raising the molded blook, a linger pivoted totlie bar and adapted 13o-engage a.v part ofthe mold' and. provided with a shoulder to aid in over' the block Aas .it4

- platen adapted to leaves thegmo'ld, substantially as described. l2. .In e. press, ,a sport orthe mold, a bottom board to the mod,;an L-,sha'ped plate slielf within tllimold,`said 'plat'elpd bord I vin oorrespo openings, a' tingar fer rasin ther-mdlldgedf block, a nger pre a shoulder'and pivotedto the bar and arranged to enter `the openings in said.

late and bottemvb'oaldin turning over the look :as it leavesthe meld',- snbstantially 'as described.

13.- In a press,v a support for `a vmold/an Le sha ed plate fitting in the mold and formed an' epem'iig, a litingbar for raising the menedibik, a enger piveted to the bar and ent'eng'the opening in the plate and formed 'with ,a shoulder bearing against the late,

fin er turning with the plate and lock as-:zthe leek' is turned over in leaying the mfgl; substantially as described.

bar forraising the molded block, a finger pivoted tothe ber and engaging a part ofthe molded block and adapted to tilt as the 'block turned over in leaving the mold, and a toothed segment engaging the4 rack-bar to raise and lower the same, sbstantially as def scribed.

15s Apress comprising upright rods, a iiXed' lield at various positions ontlie rods, an upper platen slidably-inounted on the rods, a plate or Trame connecting together and Vbracing the rods at' their ripper ends, links .pivotally suspended'y from said plate or frame between the rods, linlrs'pivotally connected to the platen and jointed to. said suspended links, pitmen ivotally oon- -neoted with said links Where t ey are joined together, and a rotatable shaft provided with eooentries to which the inner ends of said pit- `r menare connected on opposite side's of said shaft, substantially as de'soribed-.v

Intestiniony whereof Iafflx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

clnnglRLns ARTHUR MEYnRs. Witnesses:

A. A. SLAYBAUGH, W. A. BELL. 

